Arnold C. Mackey

Arnold Mack and Dolores Sis Mackey were married March 1948. Together for 61 years, they hoped to die together. They nearly made it.Mr. Mackey, age 81, died Aug. 6, 2009, and Mrs. Mackey (age 77) died Aug. 9, 2009.Mack was born in Middlefield, Ohio to Claude and Maude (Stokes) Mackey on Feb. 17, 1928. He was raised in Ashtabula and Chardon.Click to enlargeHe served proudly with the Navy Seabees and was honorably discharged in 1946. Following his discharge, he got his private pilot’s license. He enjoyed taking friends and family for rides, demonstrating rolls and stalls. When he married, he bought property in Hambden Township, raised his family and lived there until his death.Mr. Mackey worked nights at Cleveland Crane and Engineering for 30 years as an overhead crane operator. In the 1960s he opened his own refrigeration and air conditioning business. He continued to work nights while he worked days at his own business. He was very proud to be called by the New Geauga Community Hospital to service their refrigeration and cooling units. When illness caused him to retire early, he began to make gadgets out of scrap materials he found. His yard became a display of fountains, windmills, chimes, grape arbors, flagpoles, plant hangers, and solar panels. He enjoyed feeding the birds, especially the hummingbirds. He had a ready smile and loved talking to everyone about anything.Dolores Sis was born in Chardon, Ohio, to Kenneth and Gertrude (Farley) Mills on Sept. 20, 1931.She was an honor student at Chardon High School in the class of 1948. After her marriage, she became a full-time wife and mother. She was an excellent baker and cook. Her rhubarb pie and homemade noodles with beef were family favorites. She enjoyed watching soap operas, doing crossword puzzles and talking about all the generations of people she knew in Chardon.Mrs. Mackey too, liked watching and identifying the birds. She was a shy person who quietly went about her life raising her children and being a companion to her husband.Mack was preceded in death by his parents and a sister in infancy. He is survived by his sister, Beulah Mazny of Mentor.Sis was preceded in death by her parents; a sister in infancy; and a brother, Kenneth Mills formerly of Indianapolis, Ind.Sis is survived by brothers, Harold (Carolyn) Mills of Montville and Gerald (Bonnie) Mills of California.Both are preceded in death by their son-in-law, Carl Wehn.They are survived by their children; Rhana Wehn of Ashtabula, Darlene (Elmer) Smith of Deland, Fla., Kenneth (Carol) Mackey of Archbald, Pa. and Tamara Berg (fiance, Brandon Ryan) of Rock Creek; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.Mack and Sis requested there be no calling hours nor service. Their final resting place is Hambden Township Cemetery.